With call-ups, dugout shrinks

The Astros will expand their roster to 33 players (32 healthy ones), with four familiar call-ups expected to be in uniform Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

Outfielder J.D. Martinez, catcher Carlos Corporan and pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Chuckie Fick, all of whom were optioned to Class AAA, will return.

Keuchel started for Oklahoma City in its season finale Monday but went just three innings, which would leave him open for a quick turnaround if necessary.

No matter his role, the active players on the roster form a 10-man bullpen and a nine-man bench.

“It’s more depth for our bullpen, and it’s some extra position players that we need,” manager Tony DeFrancesco said. “The tough part about all these guys coming up is that it’s hard for me to get them in the game sometimes. So we’ll be seeing a lot of double-switching and pinch-hitting early in the game if we have to.”

Lowrie nears rehab stint
Despite Jed Lowrie’s still being in a leg brace, the Astros are eyeing a time as soon as this weekend to get him on a rehab assignment.

He’d be quite a ringer, too, as the rehab would be for Class AA Corpus Christi in its Texas League playoff series.

“We’re hoping by mid-September we’ll be seeing him in some games up here,” manager Tony DeFrancesco said. “It seems like he turned the page a little bit on his rehab and is trying to push it a little bit more, so that’s a bat that can help us out down the road.”

Odds and ends
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the Astros sent righthander Mark Hamburger through waivers and, upon his clearing, outrighted him to Class AAA Oklahoma City.

Brandon Laird will make his first start of the season Tuesday at third base against former Astro Wandy Rodriguez. Laird was claimed off waivers from the Yankees on Saturday.